Foldable table with hinged top



June 12, 1956 w. A. ZIELFELDT FOLDABLE TABLE WITH HINGED TOP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 6, 1954 m T. a mF a z A M M L M ATTORNEY June 1956 w. A. ZIELFELDT FOLDABLE TABLE WITH HINGED TOP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1954 Rm a mF a y 4 M m m. m w

7 w? ii .2 E i! 7 4 3 LL I ll ATTORNEY Uni d, States Be s Q FOLDABLE TABLE WITH .HINGED TOP Application m 6, 195mm No. 441,321

2 Claims. (Cl. 311-62) This invention relates to foldable tables and more particularly to foldable tables including a back member and foldable top and having foldable side wings which may mount foldable extension end shelves.

The apparatus has great usefulness and advantages as a collapsible or foldable table simulating a desk and especially in those situations where it is desirable to provide a planar top and extension shelf members whereby the length of the top may be extended and yet maintain the facility of the structure collapsible into a very small and narrow space for storage.

Briefly described, the invention comprises spaced supporting rear legs and a panel therebetween providing a back member, a planar top member hinged to the back member for support at a horizontal position for desk or table use and foldable downwardly parallel with the back panel when the table is collapsed to a folded position, and hinged supporting side wings or legs selectively extendable perpendicular to the back and foldable parallel to the back, the side wings providing foldable extension shelves at the opposite ends of the table top. Suitable support and hinge means are provided for manipulating the parts in their respective positions.

One form in which the invention may be exemplified is described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, partly broken away, and indicating in broken lines selective position of parts.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the invention with parts shown in folded or collapsed position, enlarged with relation to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transversely vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views, indicates generally a supporting back member which comprises a pair of spaced supporting rear legs 11 connectedly spaced by a back panel 12 preferably extending above the top of the legs and extending sufficiently below the top of the legs to provide both a rigid support therebetween and a back panel or apron partially closing the space between the legs, though preferably spaced from the floor.

A pair of side wings 13, 14 are mounted to collapse or fold parallel to the back member and to swing forwardly from the rear legs to a position perpendicular to the back member, each wing being mounted to a rear leg by a vertical hinge 15, 16. Each wing has a supporting front leg 17, 18 and a wing panel 19, 20 which connects the front legs to the rear legs by the hinges 15, 16.

A table top member 21 has one edge hinged to the back panel as by the hinges 23 which are preferably of a suitable type whereby the hinge connection may be changed from one elevation to another, being exemplified in the present example by hooks 24 mounted in the back panel at varying elevations and which may be selectively engaged by the hinge members 23. When the wings 13, 14, are at a closed or folded position the table top 21 hangs downwardly parallelly betweenthe back panel 12 and the folded wings 13, 14, and when the wingsareswungto an outwardly extended'position the table top may be swung on its hinged mounting 23 to a raised position to occupy a substantially horizontalplane, its for-;

ward portion being supported on the extended side wings by means of depending plates 25 secured to the table top adjacent the longitudinally opposite ends of the table top, the plates entering into elongated slotted sockets 26 mounted on the inner face of each of the wings 19, 20, thus both supporting the raised table top at its forward free edge portion and also maintaining the wings stabilized at an outwardly extended position.

Extension shelf means are provided whereby the uplifted table top may in effect have an additional length added thereto, comprising foldable extension leaves or shelves 27, 28 mounted at the outer face of each of the wing panels 19, 20. The extension shelves 27, 28 are preferably of substantially the same length of the side wing panels and are hinged at one edge to the upper edge portion of the wing panels by hinges 29, 30, with spacer strips 29a and 30a intervening, said hinges being preferably of a lesser length than the length of the wing panel and the extension shelves, the remainder of the opening beyond the hinges being filled by the upper edge of brackets 31 which are foldably mounted to the wing panels by hinges 32. The brackets 31 are adapted to lie closely parallel to the wing panels when folded and to swing outwardly to support the shelves 27, 28 at upwardly raised position, the upper edge of each bracket 31 having an indented cut-away portion 31a spaced from the free end, so as to avoid interference with the hinges 32, when the bracket is at folded position.

It will be observed from Figs. 2 and 4 that the pivot pins of hinges 29, 30 are mounted in spaced relation to the adjacent edge of the respective shelves 27, 28 whereby, when the shelves are raised, said adjacent edge portions of the shelves extend over the upper edge of the wing panels 19, 20 and make a substantial closure of any gap between the relatively adjacently opposed edges of the table top and the extension shelves.

The elevation of the hingedly connected edge of the table top may be changed from one elevation to another by the hinge connections 23, 24 whereby there is provided a variation of angles of incline to the table top, which is generally desirable for adjusting the angle of the table top for reading and writing.

Any suitable convenient means may be provided for maintaining the wings stabilized at a folded position, exemplified herein by a conventional hook latch and eyelet 33. The table may also be provided with suitable hand grip 34 in the back panel for transportation in its folded position.

If desired, the free terminal end at the foot of the legs may be provided with any suitable means for altering the elevation of the entire structure and, as illustrated herein, comprises threaded socket members 35 inserted in the foot ends of the legs and complementally threaded shanks 36 of foot casters 37.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the unfolded table has the characteristic appearance of a desk, having a back panel and side panels and yet has the characteristics of a folding table, in that its front legs, top and extension shelves may be folded into a very compact assembly for storing in a relatively narrow space, as shown in Fig. 2:

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and patentable is:

1. A foldable desk table comprising a back member having spaced supporting rear legs and a back panel 3 Patented June12, 1956,,

. 3 therebetween, a side wingand front leg hingedly mounted to each rear leg for swinging from a folded position substantially parallel to the back member to an open position substantially perpendicular thereto, a planar table topmember hingedly connectible at one end of its'edges to the back member, the table top'lying between the back member and the side wing members'at the respective folded positions-thereof, and means forreleasably interlocking the forward free edge of the table top with the forward free portion of the side Wings for supporting the table top at horizontal position and locking the side Wings against hinged movement.

2. folding table device of the character described having theelements of claim 1 and in'which'the'said' References Cited in thetfile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,055,007 Erpelding Sept. 22, 1936 2,079,639 Swensson May 11, 1937 

